There is a lot of talk on the internet these days about SEO and search engine optimization. You may be wondering what it is and why you should care. SEO is short for search engine optimization, which is the process of getting your website to rank higher in Google’s organic search results. This blog post will teach you about SEO so that you can start ranking higher today!
So, What is SEO?
To put it simply, SEO is how you help Google find your website.
SEO stands for search engine optimization. SEO is the process of optimizing your website in order to rank higher on Google’s organic search results, or basically getting more traffic from people searching for products or services that you offer.
Search engine optimization is done by making changes that are helpful for search engines, like optimizing your title tags and meta descriptions, making sure your website is fast, creating quality content, along with creating a linking structure that makes it easy for Google to find your pages. There are hundreds of data points to consider when optimizing for search, but these are some of the main ones.
Search engine optimization can also extend off of your website and onto third-party sites. Your Google My Business is one very important factor in search rankings so optimizing this is a must. Backlinks from quality sources and well-maintained directory listings are two other off-site SEO items to put on your list.
Is SEO Necessary?
Yes! If you want your business to be found, it is necessary. It is possible to buy ad space or try and rely on word of mouth but those options can be expensive or temporary.
Think about these SEO statistics:
- 68% of online experiences begin with a search engine. (BrightEdge)
- 53.3% of all website traffic comes from organic search. (BrightEdge) More if you ask ahrefs.
- SEO drives 1000%+ more traffic than organic social media. (BrightEdge)
- 60% of marketers say that inbound (SEO, blog content, etc) is their highest quality source of leads. (HubSpot)
- SEO leads have a 14.6% close rate. (HubSpot)
- 30% of all mobile searches are related to location. (Think With Google)
- 76% of people who search on their smartphones for something nearby visit a business within a day. (Think With Google)
- 28% of searches for something nearby result in a purchase. (Think With Google)
- About 45% of global shoppers buy online and then pick up in-store (Think With Google)
- SEO can result in more consistent traffic. Ads and social media are known for traffic spikes during activity that fades rather quickly when ad purchase or activity stops. (ahrefs)
Trust and Brand Awareness
If you’re still not convinced, think about this: Those with websites in the top search positions on the first page will gain brain recognition, trust, and visibility. If someone searches for your product and your competitors’ website comes up first and yours either well below or not at all, they most likely will purchase from a competitor. Search engine optimization is a powerful tool that shouldn’t be overlooked.
Simply by showing up in search, you begin to build trust as searchers see your brand name again and again. This is called the familiarity principle. As you become more familiar, trust begins to form and can lead to increased business as they begin to rely on your brand.
Additionally, if you run an online store with eCommerce, proper SEO will allow your site to show up when people are searching for the products that you offer. Meaning more of your products will be found and considered for purchase.
This is SEO that provides instant results in many cases!
Why Should I Care About SEO If I’m a Brick and Mortar Business?
If you have a brick-and-mortar business, SEO can help your website rank higher on Google for search terms like “auto mechanic near me,” “plumber in my area,” or “best plastic surgeon in Nashville”. If you’re in a well-populated area, chances are that there will be more people searching for these keywords than not.
When a searcher uses these terms, it gives your website the chance to be found by customers local to your business. Local SEO can take it one step further by adding your business to local directories (i.e., Yelp, Angie’s List, etc.). These sites are great for SEO because they typically have a high domain authority and Google trusts them. So
Searchers also are reading reviews, and this is a very important element of off-site SEO. The more great reviews you have on Google, the more likely it is that your website (along with your address and contact information) will be at the top of the results. Great reviews also give potential customers confidence that your product or service is the best choice.
How Much SEO Do I Need?
SEO has many tiers. There is the foundation, which is making sure your site structure is proper from the get-go and that it is fast and functions well.
There is the research factor, meaning you can’t optimize without researching the best search terms and taking a look at what competitors are ranking for. Knowing what your users need and are searching for is critical.
Content is extremely important. Google is looking for the sites with the best and most up-to-date information. This means that updating your content often is necessary to stay at the top of the results listings. Google grades content by its expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness (E-A-T).
There is also the X factor. Competitors change their content as search engines make algorithm updates. To stay at the top of a highly competitive search term, small tweaks must be made often.
All these factors, the size of your website, and how fast you want change to happen will affect how much SEO work you need.
Add SEO to Your Marketing Plan
This seems like a lot to take in, and it is! If you need help implementing SEO for your business, Aroluxe in Nashville, TN can help. We serve many clients local to Tennessee, along with others nationwide. Our SEO client portfolio includes industries in health care, legal, banking, beauty, construction, insurance, entertainment, and more. Contact us today to see what we can do to help you rank higher on Google.